Oh, to have been a fly on the wall in Sir Alex Ferguson’s office in the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand on Sunday afternoon.
The Scot’s guest of honour was none other than Eric Cantona. Just think of the tales of yesteryear that they retold, the laughs they shared, not to mention the quality of the wine — that is, unless Sir Jim Ratcliffe has started buying in from the wholesalers to reduce costs.
The derby that unfolded before their eyes lacked that bit of stardust that used to flow from Cantona’s magic boots, that thrill, that adventure, that willingness to take a risk.
Both teams lacked all of the above, and a killer instinct. Of the two teams, United were probably the unhappiest with the outcome of this match, which was followed by a sit-in protest from thousands of their fans.
This version of Pep Guardiola’s team is not as accomplished as previous incarnations, and they were far from their best at Old Trafford, so Ruben Amorim will view this as a missed opportunity to get one over their rivals ahead of a fortnight that includes both legs of their Europa League tie against Lyon and a trip to Newcastle United.
Cantona no doubt grimaced when he saw the pitiful effort by Alejandro Garnacho to turn in a cross from Diogo Dalot. That only two of United’s 13 shots hit the target said everything about the quality of their finishing, although Joshua Zirkzee would have notched a late winner if Ederson had not superbly repelled his effort from close range.
United must focus all their efforts in the transfer market this summer on acquiring a No 9 capable of at least testing the opposition goalkeeper.
Manchester City’s finishing was poor too. Phil Foden, the subject of some unsavoury chants from the home fans, dragged two efforts wide when through, although he was still feeling the effects of a bruising tackle from Casemiro.
If this match taught us anything, it is that both teams are way behind Liverpool and Arsenal for a reason.
Of course, United are in a worse position in that respect — they need to win all their remaining games to beat their worst ever points tally of 58 — but there was little drive or invention from the visiting midfield.
One sequence in the second half summed that up perfectly. Four United players easily caught up with Kevin De Bruyne as he ran across halfway on one counterattack before losing the ball. In previous years the City captain would have sped away and found the top corner of the net. Here, on his final appearance at Old Trafford, he managed only two tame shots.
For Guardiola, adding a young, energetic and creative midfielder must be top of his wish list this summer.
Guardiola usually parks himself in the dugout pre-match, but on this occasion the Catalan emerged from the tunnel 80 minutes before kick-off and spent almost an hour pacing around at the side of the pitch, drinking in the sun while chatting to his head of security.
He had named a team containing several surprises. Matheus Nunes, who gave away a penalty in the reverse fixture, began at right back, with Nico O’Reilly on the opposite flank. Guardiola went for an experienced midfield of Ilkay Gundogan, Mateo Kovacic and De Bruyne.
That midfield was put to the test in the first minute as United attacked with pace. Garnacho dropped a shoulder before being clattered into by Rúben Dias.
The United fans rejoiced, thinking they had won a penalty, but John Brooks ruled that the foul had been committed on the edge of the penalty area. Bruno Fernandes ploughed his free kick into the wall.
City were missing the runs of Erling Haaland. Every time that Kovacic and Gundogan crossed halfway, there was little movement in front of them, which annoyed the two midfielders and their manager in equal measure. When Omar Marmoush eventually tried to run in behind, O’Reilly picked him out with a precise lofted pass. The Egypt forward controlled the pass expertly but Harry Maguire came to the rescue for United.
O’Reilly did not show the same ambition to get forward as he did against Bournemouth, so City’s only avenue of attack came down the right. Foden collected Nunes’s pass and drove his shot into the side-netting.
The only time André Onana’s goal looked like being breached was when he flapped at a corner. Luckily for the goalkeeper, Noussair Mazraoui cleared off the line.
United were content to sit deep. Their first half was summed up by a short passage of play in which Casemiro put in a crunching tackle on Foden and then, trying to find Patrick Dorgu on the left wing, passed the ball out of play.
Then came two key chances for United. After switching play from left to right, Dalot sneaked in behind O’Reilly before crossing to Garnacho. The Argentina player could not decide whether to head or shoot. He ended up doing neither. The cross struck his chest and City cleared.
United swept forward on the counter again after Bernardo Silva lost the ball. As he ran on to Garnacho’s pass, Dorgu tried to cushion the ball before shooting, but his touch was so poor that the ball ran free and City cleared.
City started the second half at full throttle. Marmoush shuffled the ball between his feet and slipped Foden through but, just as the midfielder was about to shoot, Mazraoui made a perfectly timed tackle from behind.
A clumsy foul by Victor Lindelof, who had replaced Maguire, gave Marmoush a chance to send the ball over the wall, but Onana sprang into action. The away fans rose en masse to greet De Bruyne as he took a corner. His delivery whistled through the box to find Marmoush, who sent a fierce volley into Onana’s arms.
Towards the end, the match finally opened up. Manuel Ugarte blasted a shot just wide and Ederson repelled Zirkzee’s effort from close range.
More aerial bombardments followed, but United could not find their way through.
Manchester United (3-4-2-1): A Onana 7 – L Yoro 7, H Maguire 8 (V Lindelof 58min, 6), N Mazraoui 8 – P Dorgu 6, M Ugarte 6 (M Mount 71), Casemiro 7, D Dalot 7 – A Garnacho 4, B Fernandes 6 – R Hojlund 5 (J Zirkzee 71). Booked: Dalot, Mount, Yoro.
Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Ederson 7 – M Nunes 7, R Dias 7, J Gvardiol 7, N O’Reilly 6 (R Lewis 774) – M Kovacic 7, I Gundogan 6 (J Grealish 74) – B Silva 6, K De Bruyne 6, P Foden 6 (J Doku 58, 6) – O Marmoush 6. Booked: Dias, Silva
